Show time/meals

[Woodsie1]

Hello everyone,

 

I am about to book my first cruise - 12 nights on Ventura next July. I have read lots of info on cabins and have an idea what I want to book if available but am not clear on show times/meal times.

 

If I booked the 8.30 (?) sitting would we be ok for show times? Or would we be better with the flexi type dining? Or an earlier sitting. There will be 5 of us (3 adults, a 17 year old and a 13 year old) and ideally we would like just a table for us.

 

Advice welcomed

 

Thanks in advance

[shallwe]

The experienced cruisers tend to prefer the club dining with fixed times whilst the novice cruisers such as myself prefer the flexible freedom dining.

If you go for club dining then we found that going to the early sitting was better for the early shows and vica-versa.

You will have so many views posted on this subject that you will probably be totally confused in the end.

Freedom means that you can go to suit whatever time you like which is why we prefer it.

Edited May 14, 2016 by shallwe

[Mysticalmother]

We have usually had late (fixed) sitting in the past and always found it a bit of a rush to get to the late show performance. As there will be 5 of you trying to get seats in the theatre, you might need to be prepared to be split up to watch the show.

Tried early sitting once and although it was then not a rush for the show, (you can still go to the later performance) it could be a rush to get ready for dinner especially after a longish port day.

I guess you would probably be best to opt for " freedom" dining which means you can go to dinner when you are ready, and still have plenty of time for the later show, or go early to freedom dining if it suits and catch the early show. Getting a table for just the 5 of you shouldn't be a problem on freedom and if you have a quiet word with the maitre D on the second night you may well find you can have the same table most nights.

I think the shows are normally at 8.30 & 10.30 ( sometimes 8.45 & 10.45), so first sitting can get to the 8.30 one , and late sitting to the 10.30 one.

 

Hope that helps. Have a great cruise.

[Florry]

I think it's swings and roundabouts and Mystical Mother has summed up the pros and cons of each. In the past I have always done club dining because I have an allergy and I thought it is better to have the same waiters but we also eat in speciality and buffet and much prefer the flexibility of eating when we want on those occasions. When I think back to cruises when we used club dining almost exclusively you do get into a bit of a fixed routine. I'm being brave and have elected freedom on my next cruise to mix things up and give me more choice on MDR days. As you have a variance in ages Freedom may give you more flexible options.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Florry

[Woodsie1]

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I think we will be opting for Freedom dining.

[insanemagnet]

With Freedom dining it is possible to see both an 8.30 show and a (different) 10.30 show.

 

If you eat around 7pm on a table for two you can be out by 8.15.

 

However my preference is to see the 8.30 show which finishes around 9.15 which is fine as the restaurants don't close for entry until 9.30. Service is swift at that time and you will easily be finished in time for a 10.30 show.

[Hatters cruiser]

I think it's swings and roundabouts and Mystical Mother has summed up the pros and cons of each. In the past I have always done club dining because I have an allergy and I thought it is better to have the same waiters but we also eat in speciality and buffet and much prefer the flexibility of eating when we want on those occasions. When I think back to cruises when we used club dining almost exclusively you do get into a bit of a fixed routine. I'm being brave and have elected freedom on my next cruise to mix things up and give me more choice on MDR days. As you have a variance in ages Freedom may give you more flexible options.

 

The waiters should be aware of your allergy even with Freedom dining, do not worry.

I am diabetic and was always offered the diabetic dessert when I was at dinner with Freedom dining and even in the Limelight club in Britannia.

[insanemagnet]

If you have an allergy speak to the restaurant manager, and they will provide you with the following days menu and will check with the chef if there are any issues with your choice.

 

They also offered to serve my wife anything off the lunch menu in the evening if there was nothing suitable on the dinner menu.

[Scriv]

I also think that given the mix in your ages, Freedom Dining is a better option and am pretty sure you will get your own table without any problem.

[daiB]

The advantage of fixed dining for us is to have a regular table for the evening meal so you can get to know a group of people well. In 30+ cruises we have always had a good to great table.

 

However if there are 5 of you going and all sit together that advantage is gone so in you case flexible dining would be best.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Mysticalmother]

I think it's swings and roundabouts and Mystical Mother has summed up the pros and cons of each. In the past I have always done club dining because I have an allergy and I thought it is better to have the same waiters but we also eat in speciality and buffet and much prefer the flexibility of eating when we want on those occasions. When I think back to cruises when we used club dining almost exclusively you do get into a bit of a fixed routine. I'm being brave and have elected freedom on my next cruise to mix things up and give me more choice on MDR days. As you have a variance in ages Freedom may give you more flexible options.

 

Florry - we too are being brave and have opted for Freedom on our next cruise (in 2 weeks time!)...I have a food allergy too so will be interested to see how well it works.

[Florry]

Good luck MM! I do pre-order etc. and they must be used to us awkward ones by now, have a great cruise!

[bee-ess]

Don't know what Ventura does but we have just returned from Britannia where they did 3 shows a night for the headliners shows - 7:00, 8:30 and 10:30. This is easier for the 8:30 fixed diners as they can see a pre dinner show. I know we have had this option on Oriana and Azura in the past but can't remember if we had it on Ventura.

[whoops]

The shows are at 8.30pm and 10.30pm. I found on a very recent Ventura cruise that if you wish to attend the 8.30pm event you had to eat early - and by that I mean as near to 6pm as possible - because in order to get a seat you had to be in the Arena Theatre by 8pm at the latest. With fixed dining I believe you are placed with the same group of people so meals tended to take a very long time - 2 hrs on my recent cruise.

 

Always I opt for Freedom dining as I need to eat early due to a medical condition so on my chosen Theatre nights I opted to eat in the buffet along with many in their dinner suits. If you are OK at eating later then there is no problem with dining at a time to gel in with the 10.30 start time. It's a matter of personal choice.

Edited May 17, 2016 by whoops

[Brayman]

The shows are at 8.30pm and 10.30pm. I found on a very recent Ventura cruise that if you wish to attend the 8.30pm event you had to eat early - and by that I mean as near to 6pm as possible - because in order to get a seat you had to be in the Arena Theatre by 8pm at the latest. With fixed dining I believe you are placed with the same group of people so meals tended to take a very long time - 2 hrs on my recent cruise.

 

Always I opt for Freedom dining as I need to eat early due to a medical condition so on my chosen Theatre nights I opted to eat in the buffet along with many in their dinner suits. If you are OK at eating later then there is no problem with dining at a time to gel in with the 10.30 start time. It's a matter of personal choice.

 

We dine about 7pm, get out of the dining room somewhere about 9 then walk the length of the ship twice looking at what's going on where, decide on a venue for a drink then wander along to the theatre for the 10:30 show having possibly been entertained from 9:30 in our chosen venue/bar. All very relaxing, no RUSHING to get to the show.

 

It bugs me when people rush away from the table to get to the show, why didn't they come in to eat earlier?

[whoops]

We dine about 7pm, get out of the dining room somewhere about 9 then walk the length of the ship twice looking at what's going on where, decide on a venue for a drink then wander along to the theatre for the 10:30 show having possibly been entertained from 9:30 in our chosen venue/bar. All very relaxing, no RUSHING to get to the show.

 

It bugs me when people rush away from the table to get to the show, why didn't they come in to eat earlier?

 

On my recent cruise some people were queuing up at 5.30pm to get into the restaurant to guarantee a table for 2 which was the only way they could get out of the restaurant in time to grab a decent seat for the 8.30pm show if you need to do something in between. If you end up on a table for 4 or 6 the time taken to eat takes very much longer - nearly 2 hours on my cruise which ended on 6 May.

 

The arrangements described in the quoted post do seem very relaxed but not everyone can eat late, myself included, due to stomach issues which many suffer from. If I ate late I would never get to sleep and be ill for the next day so eating late is not an option for everyone! So it shouldn't bug you if people leave the restaurant early as they do so for good reason.

 

I found that by far the best arrangement for me was to dine in the buffet on show nights or use the Beach House (with small cover charge) which was a much better arrangement.

Edited May 18, 2016 by whoops

[insanemagnet]

It bugs me when people rush away from the table to get to the show, why didn't they come in to eat earlier?

 

Perhaps they are equally irritated that you are trying to drag things out once the meal is over?

[Brayman]

Perhaps they are equally irritated that you are trying to drag things out once the meal is over?

 

I don't think finishing my dessert, coffee and wine can be described as dragging things out.

[bee-ess]

We always dine 8:30 fixed and getting a seat for 4 of us for the 10:30 show is often a problem - thats why on the ships where they do 3 shows it helps, we had no problem getting a seat on Britannia recently where they did the 3 shows, it seems to even out the crowd.

Edited May 18, 2016 by bee-ess

[insanemagnet]

I don't think finishing my dessert, coffee and wine can be described as dragging things out.

Dessert I would agree.

 

However your choice to choose to have coffee at the table, rather than choose to take coffee at a more comfortable location with a better coffee.

 

And as for finishing your wine, I think that is inconsiderate if you you expect others to sit there and watch you drink for an indeterminate amount of time.

[sapphire4]

Weve just been on the Ventura. We like the freedom dining as we can suit ourselves what time to dine. If its nice and sunny or out late in port we eat later. If theres a particular show we want to see we eat earlier. We tended to find that the 6pm diners finish about 7.15 and if we went to the freedom dining at 6.45 we would be given an alerter and have to wait about 20-30 mins for a table. This gave us time to have a pre dinner drink , eat and get to the 8.30 show. Just be aware that after the first diners have finished dining there is a huge rush of them diving into the shows! If you didn't get in the theatre by 8pm it was difficult to get a seat. You may decide to eat in the buffet restaurant odd times. Some of the meals were delicious like the country and western night which we didn't think we would like but it had southern type chicken and ribs. You will be given a list of each theme night in the buffet and the beach house is nice for a small fee.

[Artemis17]

Sapphire, i note you have just got off of Ventura. How was the entertainment, as we are on her in July?. We were also on her a couple of years ago & loved the Headliners acts although some of the tribute acts/comedians werent so good.

Thanks for any information.

[sapphire4]

Hi Artemis, The Headliners were excellent we thought. Very energetic new performances. Perhaps aimed more at the older market with some of the themes. There was a comedienne called Martinez who was hilarious. a bit near the knuckle at times but very funny. My other half was in stitches. We saw one of the lecturers from a lifeboat guy who spent most of his time laughing at his own jokes. The Tina Turner tribute lady was quite good having seen the original Tina. We didn't have anyone well known on board like Kiki Dee, Jimmy James or a celebrity chef. Some of the singers were weary but youll have to see for yourself. We like the daily crosswords and if youre lucky people leave used books on a table next to the library. I left three brand new ones rather than throw them away. Have a lovely time!

[insanemagnet]

I just got off the same cruise on Ventura and broadly agree.

 

The Headliners shows on Ventura are tailored for a younger audience, rather than say Oriana where one of their shows is 'Songs from the war'. The final Headliners show of the cruise was based on rock music, called Paradise City. Some of the 80 year olds in the audience didn't seem impressed.

 

One of the tribute acts, Elton John, was pretty good, but the Tina Turner act was terrible (volume does not equal quality). However an even bigger miss was an act with two piano players, playing their own compositions. You could see the audience walking out.

 

The lifeboat guy, too political and too many 'jokes' stolen from Carry on films.

[Artemis17]

Thanks both for the Ventura feedback. Useful to have a heads up on what to avoid, especially when there's always a space issue at the shows. :)